Sharmen Liao

"The thrill of shaping textures and forms out of a continuous line fascinates me. My goal in jewelry-making is to transform the functional object from the ordinary to the special, from the traditional into the new and exciting."

Sharmen Liao has been an avid knitter since her teenage years, and she surrounds herself with fibers, yarns and textiles she's collected from around the world. Her love of more unusual materials led her to create her line of knitted and crocheted wire jewelry.

Liao uses techniques normally reserved for textile working to form her unconventional pieces. She knits from wire and decorates with gemstones and pearls. On other pieces she will 'trap' rhinestones inside knitted mesh then weave the strands together to form an interlaced whole.

"I believe the best in fashion defies trends and boldly asserts itself. My works are traditional, even familiar or retro, yet I strive to convey the thrill of the unexpected. My creations are functional objects, yet sculptural in their own right and my personal artistic statement."